News & Views

University of Engineering and Technology / Portable Water Generator

Challenge / The University of Engineering and Technology (UTEC) in Lima, Peru, needed to increase the number of applications to its 2013 university programme.

Solution / Working with Mayo Draftfcb, Lima, the university created a billboard that captured water moisture in the air and turned it into clean drinking water.

As the image posted above explains, the air was captured and condensed to create water droplets. These then passed through a filter, purifying the water, before being stored in a 96-litre tank. A tap at the bottom of the board let residents use the water for drinking, cooking, washing etc. Results / The board collected 9,450 litres of water in three months - all of which was gratefully used by nearby inhabitants. The university also recorded a 28% increase in applications for the 2013 programme.

Contagious Insight

As the case-study video explains, Lima is the second-largest city in the world that's set on a desert. And despite the fact that atmospheric humidity levels are often as high as 98%, the annual rainfall is very low indeed (around 28mm, or just over 2mm per month). Water is therefore a precious resource in short supply.

It goes without saying, therefore, that this sort of initiative will go down extremely well with locals in Lima. Just as importantly (from an advertising perspective) it promotes UTEC - through both earned media and expertise. The clever functionality of the billboard showcases the impact that engineering solutions can have on the world, and the positive sentiment attached to the coverage should make the university an aspirational choice for Peruvians.

This story originally appeared on Contagious Feed. Contagious Feed is our bespoke trends, inspiration, insight and analysis service, providing daily innovative marketing intelligence across a comprehensive range of sectors to brands and agencies across the world. For more information about Contagious Feed contact sales@contagious.com